The Real Us
by Elillierose
Summary: Sequel to The Real Me. You don't need to read that one first, but it helps. This is the aftermath of Prompto being tortured by Ardyn. Quite a few people wanted a follow up, so I did the best I could in providing that. I keep forgetting to click "Complete" on these one-shots.


**Thank you so much again** Nyvien, **for beta reading again for me, I appreciate it so much, and these probably wouldn't be nearly as good if it wasn't for your second look. ^-^**

 **Just a reminder that this is a sequel to The Real Me. Though, it is not necessary that you read that one first, it will help to understand this one a lot better.**

 **Also, I was kinda listening to I Found, by Amber Run. So it might make reading this more enjoyable to listen to while reading, maybe not, I'm not sure. lol But anyway, hope you enjoy. ^-^ Have at least 2 more stories planned out next. ;3**

Everything was dark, it was depriving all of his senses and he wasn't sure what was going on. His whole body ached, but the worst part of it all was, he couldn't move. He tried to move his arms, but they wouldn't budge. Something was holding them in place. Pulling harder he could feel the metal digging painfully into his wrists, cutting off circulation. The unnatural feeling of claustrophobia was wrapping its tendrils around his body, squeezing tightly ad suffocating him. Where was he? There was a faint sound. It was quiet but it was gradually growing closer and louder. He realized they were footsteps. Footsteps that were sure and held purpose in each step.

"Who's there?" He croaked out, voice barely producing sound. He winced at the grating sensation, as if his throat had been rendered almost useless from screaming. "Hello?" He asked again after getting no response. The question was almost silent this time.

The footsteps stopped a few feet in front of him and a hand was placed on his cheek, holding his face lightly, "Prompto dear, what has happened to you I wonder?" The voice purred, lifting his head up.

He reflexively snapped his head away, "Don't touch me." He snapped as he did so.

"My my, someone still has some spirit left in him." Ardyn mused to himself, and Prompto could hear the enjoyment in his voice as he said it. He was finding absolute pleasure in this. "That won't last long." Slowly the room around him began to light up. He could finally see the world around him. Or, that small room that had become his only world.

"What a disappointment." This was a different voice. He lifted his head, and gazed straight into familiar eyes. "I thought you might have been able to handle yourself better than this. Nothing but a poor excuse of a crowns guard." Noctis patronized, taking a step closer.

"Noct? Wha-what are you talking abou-" He was cut off as a resounding slap echoed off the walls and his head whipped to the side. He took in a sharp breath, more shocked than anything at the action.

"You should learn when to keep your mouth shut. You have no right to speak to your prince like that." He forced Prompto to face him again. "You will give me your respect." He dropped his head and let it fall to his chest, where it stayed as he processed what was happening. It couldn't be real, his best friend would never talk to him that way, would he?

His thoughts were interrupted as fingers twisted into his hair, jerking his head up quickly and painfully. He cried out, unable to hold it back with his surprise. Gladio's face was mere inches from his own. The expression on his face told it all. He wasn't happy, not at all. "Do you realize how much time we wasted coming here just to rescue your ass?" His hand tightened in his hair, "We would have been better off leaving you here to rot."

Prompto felt wetness creep into his eyes, "I'm sorry." He took a shuddering breath, trying to hide his hurt, "I didn't mean to...to do this."

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Gladio almost shouted, "It's too late for that now." He slowly released his grip, and stood to his full height. "'Sorry' won't change a thing, now will it?"

Prompto fell silent, afraid to say anything, knowing he could say nothing because he knew it to be true. This was his fault, and his only. The blame couldn't be put on anyone else. Not Noctis, not Gladio, and not Ignis. It was all him. His breath hitched as he held back a sob. He was caught off guard when a blade was pressed against his neck. It wasn't pressed in much, but it was enough to bite into his flesh and draw a bit of blood. He felt it roll down his neck and onto his chest.

"Never in my life have I witnessed such poor performances before." Ignis' precised and well-articulated words bounced around the room. Prompto gazed through hair which had fallen into his face long ago. Ignis was looking down on him, belittling him with his stature and stare. "Nothing but trouble and burden from the very beginning." He removed his blade and held it in front of him as he ran a finger along its flat side. "We should have left you behind long ago." With that he thrust the dagger forward, driving it into Prompto's chest.

Prompto's eyes snapped open, and his heart was beating faster than he thought possible. He found that controlling his breathing was difficult, almost impossible. It mostly consisted of quick and shallow gasps. Then he realized he had been sitting up, he didn't remember doing that. A touch on his shoulder caused him to completely freeze up. "Whoa, easy there Prom." He knew who that was, his instincts kicked in and he swung his hand around, lashing out. He had to get away.

"Get away from me!" He felt his hand connect with something, and the hand that was on him quickly let go. He tried to run away, but the moment his feet touched the floor he felt everything tilt, but he never hit the floor. Something, or someone rather, prevented him from collapsing. His whole being tensed as he saw those tattoos he knew so well. And again, he struggled to break free, but this one wasn't as easy to get away from. He felt himself slowly being lowered down.

"Prompto, you need to relax." Gladio tried to soothe, but that only caused the blonde to struggle more.

"Please." He begged, voice breaking with the pleading in his voice. "Please, just let me go." His futile attempts gradually began to subside when he realized it was no good. There was no way he was getting loose. His eyes stung with fear and he couldn't control the shaking that ran through him. "Please." He repeated quieter, "Please." He tried to curl up, but the arms wrapped around him prevented him from doing so.

"Hey, we aren't going to hurt you." Gladio almost whispered. "We're trying to help you." Prompto found himself relaxing slightly, but not much.

"Ho-How can I be sure?" He asked with a hint of animosity. "How can I be sure that this...that this is real?" Gladio went to remove one of his arms, raising his hand away from the other and lifted it into the air. Prompto saw this and panic instantly flowed through him. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to turn his head away as much as possible, expecting the pain to follow at any second. But it never did.

Gladio didn't know how to respond to that. It hurt him to see someone who was important to him direct so much fear towards him. He looked towards Ignis who had been standing nearby, listening to the whole thing play out. And then to Noctis, who was still sitting on one of the beds holding his cheek, stunned from being slapped so suddenly like that. He dropped his attention back down to the one in his arms, "Prompto?" He asked, unsure of himself.

He responded by slowly opening his eyes, and staring at Gladio's hand which was still half suspended in the air. Gladio hated that stare, that stare which was filled with terror and sorrow. "You're not?" He asked nervously, never looking away from Gladio's hand. Then he understood.

"What?" He asked, feeling almost disgusted, "No. Prom, I'm not going to hit you." He swiftly lowered his hand back down, now that he was aware of his mistake.

"Prompto," Ignis stepped closer, "I don't know what he did, but I can assure you, we mean you no harm. You are safe now." Prompto hadn't noticed him standing there, and flinched slightly when he came into view. The last memory he had of him was Ignis stabbing him in the chest, and it was still fresh in his mind. This didn't go unnoticed by Gladio.

Noctis finally recovered from his shock and slowly made his way closer, stopping a few feet away, knowing that getting too close would only make Prompto feel uneasy. "Wha-what did he do to you?" He slowly asked, almost instantly regretting the inquisition. He didn't know if he really wanted to know.

Prompto said nothing as he replayed the events in his head. They were nothing but jumbled memories that floated around his mind. His hand subconsciously drifted towards his shoulder in one particular memory. He squeezed lightly, noticing there was no more pain there. Now that he thought about it, there wasn't much of any pain anywhere. That was strange. Just moments ago it was nearly unbearable. The only thing he felt was a little weak.

"You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to." Noctis quickly added, seeing the distant and vacant look Prompto had on his face as he struggled to make sense of everything. "Just know that it's not happening again." He reached a hand towards Prompto's arm, hesitating a little when he cowered reflexively, but continued to inch closer and place his hand on his arm, and gripped it in a friendly manner. "We aren't letting anything happen again."

"You should listen to him." Ignis agreed, "If one of us hurts we all do, so we do what we can to protect one another." Prompto still wasn't sure if he should trust them or not. He didn't want to risk getting his hopes up. Not again. Not after the last time he did. The less he hoped, the less it hurt when it turned into betrayal.

He felt the arms around him become a bit more lax and he finally had his opportunity to escape. But for some reason, he no longer wanted to get away. The urge was still there, buried deep down, but he found himself unable to distance himself now. Some part of him still craved the comfort of the only ones he called friends, even if it meant being hurt by them again. 'It's worth it.' He thought to himself, desperate for any kind comfort he could find. If that comfort was a trick of Ardyn's, then so be it.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "I'll try." He said so quietly the other's almost missed it.

"You'll try what?" Gladio questioned.

"I'll try to believe you guys." His voice wavered has he fought down his emotions. "I want to trust you, I really do, but I don't know. I don't know if I can." His eyes stung again and he couldn't stop as a tear spilled over, "After what you. After what He did, I just don't know." His voice faded as he hid his face in his hands, not wanting them to see him like this. It was embarrassing. It was shameful. It wasn't him.

Hands wrapped around his wrists, pulling his hands away and exposing his face. He didn't even try to resist it. "We understand if you don't fully trust us right now, and that's alright." Noctis talked to him gently and carefully, looking right into his eyes and never breaking that contact, "We don't blame you for being unsure, or for being skeptical of us. None of us do. All that matters right now is that you're safe. You're safe and we aren't going to let that bastard get his hands on you again." Noctis' own eyes burned. They burned with sympathy for his friend. With regret for not getting to him sooner. But mostly with hatred. Hatred for Ardyn and what he's done to someone who was so full of life not too long ago. "So, however long it takes for you to trust us again, we'll be right here. No matter how long that takes."

Prompto hung onto each word, wanting desperately for it to be true. There was no way for him to know for certain if it was or not. But he knew he had no choice but to believe him for now. And if that's what it took, then he was willing to try. "Ok." He responded as he relaxed back against Gladio, letting the tension finally melt away. He didn't need to say more than that, they would understand well enough. They understood that he really wanted to believe that it was really them, and that was good enough for now


End file.
